Category: Devotional

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“Wisdom’s Cry” (Part 1 – The purpose of Proverbs)

Wisdom’s Cry (Part 1 – The purpose of Proverbs)
Just a note: With this being spring, our busiest time of year, there will be weeks that more lunches are worked than taken therefore not allowing time to write Vida. So during those weeks please visit our website Vida4U.com or just enjoy a longer time in God’s Word.
 
Proverbs 1: 1-5 & 7 ” The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
 
According to these verses we are not equal before our Maker; there are the fools and the wise. Just like the student in class that listens and gains the favor of the teacher, so those who listen to God’s instructions become wise and gain His favor. The student that acts out gets the attention of the vice principal or is set home. Though we are not all equal we are all equally loved by virtue that Christ died for all people. Our “value” is the same but the differences occur in our relationship to Him. Those who follow Him are blessed and receive his guidance and are considered wise. The foolish are defined as those who seek not the Lord’s wisdom relying on their own understanding and thereby rejecting  the morality that God has set forth. Pharaoh’s wise men were considered fools ( Isa.19:11).  Therefore those who do not seek Him are on their own. It is the fear (or reverence ) for God that divides us.
 When I was 20 yrs. old I was promoted from watching 8 people and 2 acres of greenhouse plants to 40 people and 15 acres of liner stock. It was the heart of a 600 acre wholesale nursery where plants were “born,” grown and prepared for future life. I basically freaked out. I did not know how to manage that many people especially since many were the age of my parents. Nor did I have experience with this much acreage with such a high concentration of “baby”plants. One mistake and I could ruin a whole crop for the season or set it back. I was in school taking horticulture classes at night but the management classes I had taken didn’t prepare me for managing people older than myself. It was presupposed that managers were always older than those they managed. That’s why they were managers – more experienced, I was not.  I maintained a constant state of panic praying constantly asking The Lord for His wisdom. The Holy Spirit led me to this verse;
“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2Samuel 23:3&4)”
 
King David also was very young ( around 23) when he started to rule Judah. However prior to being king God prepared him in that he served King Saul. He showed himself as a valiant soldier and soon was leading men into war. He was undefeated and soon gained for himself a name among the people. So much so that the people sang this song for him “Saul has killed his thousands, and David has killed his tens of thousands ( 1 Samuel 18:7).” The people acknowledged his military victories as greater than Saul’s. Because of this David had to eventually flee for his life. Saul’s jealousies led him to seek David’s life. As well as Saul sought to protect his throne for his son Johnathan.  However what time David did spend under Saul prepared him to rule later when Saul and unfortunately Jonathan were killed in battle. This had to be for the Davidic line of the Messiah to be fulfilled. But this verse of ruling over men I’m sure was of much comfort to David as it was to me. Thru this verse God was preparing me.  I could fear ( reverence) God, that was easy for me and because of that I would be just over men.  I didn’t have to waver or second guess  my decisions.
In applying this verse, the Holy Spirit taught me to see all men and women with equal value. I saw how different I was from all the other managers. They held themselves above the people. In time my department with the same number of employees as the manager I was replacing ( he was promoted) set new production records and our end product was fuller than prior. Meaning that plants were going to market earlier. Less time on the ground meant more profit for the nursery. The man that I replaced had the humility to congratulate me on my success. He was twice my age. I learned then that age meant nothing to God. He used a donkey to rebuke Balaam, He could use a 20 yr. old to show others the work of God in a yielded vessel. The verse became an anchor in my soul and fortified within me that the only difference between me and those I managed were our responsibilities. My job was to move the work forward, their job was to be my hands and feet.  Once I understood this verse all my fears were gone. I’m many years older now and have run my own company for 25 years yet my management style has not changed from that day. The power and testimony of God’s Word goes unrivaled in my life.
In reading the verses we are studying there is a clear path to follow with a list of the benefits – they are  all good!  “To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; ” Why would we not want these virtues and be blessed? However many do not, why? The key word seems to be “To receive.” Laqah is the Hebrew word and it means what you would think, but it also has a unique meaning as well. The assumed meaning is “to take, to acquire, or to buy.” However it also speaks of an adult bird carrying its young on its back (Duet.32). Which is interesting and an  interesting application can be rendered if we use this word picture. Therefore to receive implies a willingness to carry the truth “on your back” or we would say in your heart. This is a heart that is willing to be taught (humble) and receive instruction unto itself. As precept is added to precept, a line ( of instruction) upon line (Isaiah 28:9&10) the power to fly is increased. For in the truth is strenght and as strenght increases the very storms that keep others down are caught in your wings of faith and being fortified by the truth lift you higher, above the storm. As one devotional writer has said “take from the very storm the force that empowers it and make it your own.” In Christ and in faith this is not just a neat saying but truth. It can be done. When God is seen as bigger than that which threatens you, then the very storm lifts you closer to Him, not farther.
Therefore ” To receive” means all the virtues of “of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;…  knowledge and discretion”  become ours with the chief virtue being humility which will always fear or have reverence for the Lord. To be void of this is to reject the very hand that only seeks to help you. As a dad who extends his hand to his son who is struggling to swim, so God extends His hand out to us. The sad truth is that God’s hand is rejected, “but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Pride in other words becomes the nemisis of humility. We will continue this next week.
Father God,
 More important than being a good preacher, a singer, or even gifted in healing is one of a humble and contrite spirit. For that son or daughter is teachable, pliable and mold able and more importantly usable. We become a useful tool in the hands of the Master. Let that be each one of our desires. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur
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“Wisdom’s Cry” (Part 2 – The purpose of Proverbs)

Vida4U – Wisdom’s Cry (Part 2 – The purpose of Proverbs)
 
 
Proverbs 1: 1-5 & 7 ” The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
I copied the ending paragraph of the devotional prior to Easter to carry our topic forward.
Therefore “To receive” means all the virtues of “of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;…  knowledge and discretion”  become ours with the chief virtue being humility which allows us to receive and have reverence for the Lord. To ignore this is to reject the very hand that only seeks to help. Like a dad who extends out his hand to his son or daughter who is struggling, so God extends out his hand to us. The sad truth is that His hand is often rejected, why – “but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Pride in other words becomes the nemisis of humility as hatre is the nemisis of love.
“A wise man will hear and will increase”  verses “ but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The verb to “hear” has with its meaning “to do.” We hear music but there is no action that requires follow up, this is not that. To correctly hear means that what is heard is acted upon. Obedience sucedes the hearing. “Increase” implies repeated action. The benefit of consistent obedience is that “increase” is multiplied. In context it is referring to learning. He or she will continually become wiser. Proverb teaches that wisdom is better than riches. That nothing you could attain to in the material world can compare to Godly wisdom. In the world there are people who are very intelligent, having high I.Q’s but they have no reverence for God. And though they are sought after for their professional knowledge, often their personal lives show the fallout of despising Godly wisdom. Godly wisdom is practical and useful, not only for one’s personal life but also in one’s field of expertise. I could not imagine doing my profession without the help of the Holy Spirit.
With nothing but good to be gained why then do “ fools despise wisdom and instruction.” I have often wondered why more people do not seek a relationship with the Lord. And why as believers we are not fully pressing into the Lord and taking God at His Word. With both believers and non believers these questions have always concerned me. The word to “despise” is a strong word. It means to hold in contempt. It indicates scorn or disrespect for someone or something. This ought not to be true of any believer. However I know as believers we struggle with valuing our time with God – making our devotions and prayer time top priority. “Despise” is not a word I would use to describe this, however I do believe it has to do with our preception of the Lord and our own heart. Are we truly grateful for our salvation? Have we really repented of our former life? The verses below describe the right attitudes as well as the wrong attitudes.
 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 28:13&14)
 
“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat ( prosper). He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: ( here is our definition of a fool) but whoso walketh wisely,( trusting in the Lord) he shall be delivered( Proverbs 28:25&26)
 
For whoso findeth me ( wisdom) findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me (wisdom) wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me ( wisdom) love death ( Proverbs 8: 35&36) A super strong statement.
 
The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding ( Proverbs 9:10)
To examine our hearts in light of these scriptures is so critical to our future walk with Christ, especially if we want to grow and experience more of Him. For those who trust not in the Lord these verses get right to the heart – it’s always an issue of surrender “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.”  By this definition a fool is not an unlearned person, to the contrary it can refer to someone very educated. They take pride in their learning and in their achievements so much so that they have become their own god. And the true God who has given to them their ability to learn is out of the picture. That is who the Bible calls a fool. It’s either me or God. If I think I can do a better job than God then I don’t need God, and that is the epitome of a fool.
The other side of the coin is “why would God even want me?” Feelings of insecurity which usually reflect back on our upbringing. It’s still pride as strange as that sounds. If pride is defined as an overt attention to self – how great I am or how great I’m not, my eyes are still on me and not the Lord.  In either case both attitudes are answered by the Cross. The Cross gives me all the value I need to come to God. I can come in the fullness of confidence, not at all based on my worth but by the worth the Cross places on me – regardless of what I’m not.  The Cross also teaches  me that no matter how capable and great I think I might be, I am light years away from being saved by own merits.Therefore when the Lord stretched out His arms on the Cross and paid the price for the eternal chasm that existed between my sin and His Holiness He purchased for me an open door to my Heavenly Father and Husband.
In ending part two the attitude we want to cultivate is best expressed by King David in Psalms 51: 10&11 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” If this attitude becomes our prayer then there is nothing that the Holy Spirit cannot remake in us. No hurdle of insecurity or moral defect that we cannot overcome in Him. To now shun His invitation comes with a very strong warning that has taken me a bit to understand, ” But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” The first part is very clear and easy to understand, the last part from a human perspective is not. However if we view the verse from God’s perspective who offers life, to reject Him is therefore to accept death. There’s not a middle ground. When we think of it in these terms saying no to God on any level is a little scary. No more sweeping attitudes contrary to God  “under the rug,” we must deal with them.
Father God,
 Paul said that we are more than conquers because of your undying relentless love in our life. Regardless of our own insufficiencies or fears  let us always run to the Cross not from it. And if pride is our stumbling block let us see how pride chokes the life right out of us. Let this one change be firmly established in our mind and heart. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

 

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Vida4U ” What is Success?” Part II Wisdom Series ( Proverbs 8:11-13&13-15, & 35-36)

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
 
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
 
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
 
“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.” Last week we ended our devotional with this verse. My profession as a landscaper allows me to met with a wide range of people. Most are stable financially, for a landscape is not an inexpensive endeavor. Their occupations vary, some are business owners, others have been with their companies for years and are now in key positions, others have  invested wisely etc. However I have observed that financial gain does not mean “sound wisdom…understanding or strenght.” With a good mind to understand their profession they have prospered, but some have hearts that do not understand life or how to live it outside of their field. Wealth without a wise heart has many pitfalls, causing us to value things over people. The result of that is pretty bad. Broken relationships and numerous bad decisions often are the result.  How much better to have sound wisdom (which begins with reverencing the Lord) and understanding and thereby governing/valuing all our relationships and discerning justly. Blessed many times over will be the man or woman who so orders their life as such – way beyond what wealth can give.
“I am understanding;” not I have understanding, but I am understanding – I am the source. To have the Holy Spirit abiding within is to possess the source of all understanding. To not abide in Him daily and sense His presence is to forfeit the greatest privilege a man can have. It is sad to me that many of us live compromised lives. Because of the tensions and stresses life has we feel compelled to turn our attention away from the Lord and address the problems. We prioritize the tensions, struggles and even the good things before Him, yet He is understanding. Via His wisdom all things can be resolved with less stress and less mistakes. It takes a step of faith to trust, to change the course of always fretting and worrying. Without taking a step of faith to trust God and seek Him first, our lives will never change. If all the enemy has to do is keep you busy with  problems and that keeps you from your devotions, then I already know your future.
” I have strength.” The word is used to describe the delivering power of God’s right hand; power to save His anointed ones (us). I am sure there are some of us that have been in impossible situations only to see things come to order by simply praying and waiting on the Lord. That is so cool.  However the opposite can be true as well. There are times that faith requires action and at the end of what seemed an impossible day or a season in our life, it all worked out and we are the stronger for it. He has all the strenght we need; for today, for tomorrow and for as many tomorrow’s as we need. By abiding in Him, strenght is imparted,
 
“For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.”
There is nothing that I am saying that is profound. It’s practical, practical things of the Spirit that if we lived as such, everyday would be a day to know God’s presence and see His hand in our life. The biggest blessing I have in life has nothing to do with my day to day circumstances. It is His presence that signals that I am right with Him, my Lord and Father. I am secure in Him and in that my life consists. That my( our) life brings Him joy is also amazing. This then is my biggest blessing. Good days, hard days etc., they go and come but the heart beat of my soul is knowing His presence – nothing more.  To live day in and day out abiding in Him gives you a victors attitude, as opposed to a victims attitude that unfortunately too many of us have. We must learn that we truly “can do all things in Christ” ( Philipians 4:13). A great place to find the Lord is through the study of the scriptures. They ( the verses) have been my principle teachers as the Holy Spirit has taken the written Word and made it living inside of me. There are many that seek to reinterpret the scriptures claiming that the text does not say what it says. Or they criticize that the current translations have been maligned by man. Yet I believe that God is “God Enough” to preserve it from the corrupt hands of man. There are renderings that are a little too loose for my taste, however the translation from which it was rendered is accurate.
Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God, implies an all powerful Being, very capable, very ,very  God; nothing can thwart, change or interfere with His will.  I pay very little attention to statements about the Bible being corrupted. I can read someone’s attempt to downgrade the Bible by sighting historical occurrences as much as I can read someone sighting the same historical occurrences and yet note the respect they have for the scriptures. If you are seeking The Lord by your way and the Holy Spirit is absent from your life, you have to ask yourself why? He died to be able to have a relationship with you. What in your belief system is preventing Him from having that with you?
“But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.”
If obedience to God brings life, then disobedience to God brings death. And there are two deaths and unfortunately this is were some of us check out. We want to hear all the nice warm and fuzzy stuff about following Christ – about mercy and forgiveness. However we do not want to hear about the consequences of living a life that is not in submission to the Holy Spirit, hence disobedient. Can a person be a good person and yet be in disobedience to Christ? Of course, tons of people fit this category. And some are exceptionally good people. Jesus said that all sin committed against Him could be forgiven,but whoever sins against the Holy Spirit could not be, “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matt. 12:31).
This is a  very interesting verse. The role of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Christ to the world. To reject His message is to reject your very own salvation. To speak ill of Christ, but then to hear the testimony of Holy Spirit about  Christ through a message or a friend and receive the message by repenting, all is forgiven and salvation Is granted.
When we chose to disobey the Lord, we never think it is because we love death. However spiritually speaking, which is how The Lord evaluates every action, disobedience is sin and sin left unchecked equals death. And spiritual death occurs while we are still alive, it means we are separated from God. To love death is parallel to loving sin, which is the same as hating God. And again we don’t conscientiously think ” I am going to sin because I hate God.” However Jesus said that we are either for him or against him, we either gather or scatter. There is no middle ground with him. Even the term “lukewarm” does not imply a middle ground, it implies and unregenerate state that BELIEVES it is saved, ” Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:(Revalations 3:17). Therefore the state of being lukewarm is not a marginalized believer, it’s a non believer who believes he is saved because of his or her church activities or good deeds. 
To ignore this warning and to remain in this state is  to  be part of “all they that hate me love death.”  Another definition of the word to hate also could mean “to be unwilling.”

 Super strong warning( I hope that no one receiving Vida fines themselves here. Please call me if you want to talk). 

 
Father God,
 We end on a super strong note, but it does note compare to how You ended your life here on The Cross. Sin, disobedience, pride, self – will all these are traits that tear us down and stumble us in our attempt to find life. Help us to humble ourselves and stop trying to make You fit into our definition of God, it’s not worth the cost. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur
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“The Will of the Father” Part V – Hearing the right voice

The Christian’s Armor

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

I trust this series is going to be a blessing to all. Many of you understand the correlation between self image and input. If it is something you have not considered, I trust last week’s devotional brought that truth into focus. Once we understand the correlation then we can start inputting truth into us. The Bible calls it meditation. Taking something you learned in your devotions and giving thought and prayer to it until it becomes a pattern- replacing negative or destructive thought. We call these channels. A course the brain travels when a specific situation occurs or certain words are heard. These can be changed. An example. The other night Lisa and I were talking and I jokingly said that “I was more precious than gold.” In the back of my mind I was going to tie that statement into how our “faith is more precious than gold.” However before I could say it Lisa responded by saying, I sure had a high view of myself. As I was about to explain The Holy Spirit spoke and said “why should I not have a high view of myself?” After all I am more precious than gold. His blood covers me. His love abides in me, an adopted prince standing before the throne in Christ. I have every reason to feel more precious than gold. WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO FEEL MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD but we don’t. Why? How would every decision and choice be impacted if we truly lived out our true identity? What keeps us from doing so? Let’s  go into this next series with these questions.

 

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” The Greek word for strong is endunamoo. A compound word from “en” meaning “in or and” and dunamoo ” make strong, vigorous, to strengthen, or become strong. Synonyms are “to enable, to strengthen fully, strengthen so as to establish.” A neat word. The Greek for power is equally significant “Kratos.” It’s meanings are “manifested power,” meaning power that can be seen, not necessarily employed but because of that power it has “dominion (rule).” It emphasizes the presence and significance of force or strength rather than its use.

 

It combining the two we have “Finally brethren conquer and rule (over the sin nature) because of the overwhelming power of God that lies within you.” Since this is true why then are we not experiencing spiritual rulership in our lives? Faith in the Lord brings the  indwelling Holy Spirit.  Faith Is like an extension cord. When the extension cord is plugged in it can run very powerful and heavy duty equipment. However unplugged it powers nothing. Faith is our cord to God’s power. Faith is built (or comes) by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). However ignoring this, prioritizing other things before our devotions to The Lord, and our power cord becomes unplugged. To prioritize means we chose to put God first. I am not talking about days when the choice is not available.

 

He says “come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28), or “Trust in The Lord with all your heart lean not unto your own understanding and I will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5&6, my all time favorite). To take matters into our own hands is to live as though we have no Heavenly Father. It brings injury and sin to our soul. Before sin is ever an action it starts with a thought go my own way. This is to become unplugged. The act creates the consequences “you shall reap what you sow.” Therefore to say no to God when He calls us to fellowship, or choosing not to do so “pulls the cord.”

 

I took a couple weeks of horsemanship classes. I loved horses at the time (I was 13). I was hoping to own one someday. In class they taught you how to properly guide your horse. It was not necessary to pull the reins so that the horse felt the bit in its mouth. Their mouths are very sensitive, and that was poor if not bad guidance. Rather you were simply to lay the reign across the horse’s neck emphasizing with gentle pressure to the side in which you wanted the horse to turn. Boy what a difference. Instead of the horse fighting me and raising up its head wanting freedom from my improper steering, he simply went in the direction I emphasized. There is a neat scripture that speaks of this in Psalms 32:8-9

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they (will not) come near unto thee.” (referring to His promise to guide). He simply wants to impress our spirits with his will and we turn. “He will not yank on the reins.” If we want to go in the opposite direction He will let us go.

 

Father God,

Give us a heart to love Your Word, because it represents fellowship with You. Let us do it because you invite us to come to you, not because we are trying to earn your favor. We are already favored. As you move in us touch those areas in our life that need healing. Thank you and Amen

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

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“The Will of the Father” Part IV – Hearing the Right Voice

Ephesians 6:10-13

The Christian’s Armor

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

The whole passage of the Christians armor and our spiritual warfare is extensive and rather detailed. We will take segments of it with each devotional. If this is the first time you have read these verses they can be somewhat alarming. An eye opener for sure. The other challenge could be its application. How do I take what I am reading and apply it to my daily life? I want to review these passages therefore and look to the application of them.

 

In the last devotion I made a point about hearing The Lord’s voice above all the other voices. Let’s define these voices, or better put “the noise in our head.” It can come from within (our self image) or from without (the opinions of others). In either case they reside within our mind which is our processor and determines whether to accept and confirm, or deny and reject the “voice”. Some of the most common voices deal with whether I am accepted or liked, whether I am pretty enough or likable enough, whether I dress right, whether I can hold my own, or if I am “ok in my own skin.”  Beyond that there are relational concerns we carry. We may not forgive ourselves for something we have done in the past. Be it last year or 30 years ago. Also we may have concerns forgiving others or receiving forgiveness from others. We may believe our intelligence is lacking. I know that I was the smartest dummy in my dumbed down math class in high school. I didn’t get math until a senior and by then all my friends were dividing molecules. I learned that I couldn’t win them all and to be OK with that was an important truth to learn.

 

How we were raised or not raised has so much to do with our internal voice. These “home grown” insecurities can last a lifetime if allowed to. All parents make mistakes in raising their kids. Some just make more and much of that depends on how they were raised. So this is the loudest voice we hear, our own voice. The outside voices only have influence over us because they play on or enhance our own insecurities. T.V. infomercials are designed for this. They expose our insecurities. Unfortunately that is what makes for good advertising. You hear it, you believe it and of course you buy it – goal accomplished. At least for them. For us unless the inside changes these quick outside fixes are at best temporary. The change has to be inside to outside, not outside to inside. It’s CRITICAL that we understand this.

 

The caterpillar is still a caterpillar until it metamorphosis and becomes a butterfly. Even if you put him in a butterfly outfit and change his outer appearance, he is still a caterpillar. The change occurs internally and once a butterfly it will never be a caterpillar. By God’s Grace and the work of the Holy Spirit we must metamorphosis from thinking, feeling and hearing with our carnal mind and start inputting spiritual truth. God’s Word is the foundation for this. Change the voice, whether it be the repeated tape we’ve heard from childhood or negative input from others, and change will occur.

 

I diagramed this truth to a high school Bible study group. I drew upon the whiteboard their life, via a stick figure. On one side of my stick figure I listed all the secular voices they heard. Their peers, secular music, carnal movies, T.V shows, and sexual pictures etc., this was their daily “food.” Then on the other side of the stick figure I wrote church and basically Thursday night bible  study. Some went to church on Sunday but most slept in. Then I posed the question based on the input which side is going to influence your decisions the most? My next statement shocked them. “So if you girls end up pregnant you will know why. If you boys fail to reign over your sexual drive and become a slave to them, you’ll know why. If you don’t want this scenario then you must change your input.” They were very quiet after that message. I don’t think they ever saw their life from that perspective. However the same truth applies to us as well. List the secular voices you hear. Putting yours at the top. Then list the Godly input you hear and how often. Based on that  look at your life. If you struggle and feel overwhelmed or ruled over by outside voices now you know why. If Godly freedom is what you want as a bright light growing in you, then God’s Word must be your source. Christ wants to be the voice in your head. Only he has proven absolute love and forgiveness and possess the power to change us. Why should you or I give control of our life to a lesser passion or influence?

 

How do we change this? What does Paul say? “Finally brethren (summing up everything) be strong in The Lord, and in the power of His might (how?). Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” This will be our topic for several weeks to come. For now make time for reading the Bible. If you’re not a reader turn to AM 710 via your radio or smart phone, or do both. They have some great teaching.

 

Father God,

Thank you for letting me understand that not only is change possible, but how to accomplish it. Understanding the influences in my life and their affect on me makes me so much more aware of how I need to guard my input. If I allow junk in junk will come out. Let me not do that but rather the truth of Your Word. Thank you and Amen.

 

Move Forward in His Grace,

Arthur

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“The Will of the Father” Part III

Luke 12:35-38 & 40 (Matt. 24:45- 51) “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat (dinner), and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

 

We know language changes with time and along with it so do the expressions. I believe that Christ’s intent is understood but let’s examine some of the expressions. “Let your loins be girded about.” Men wore long cloaks. There were no pants. A cloak in our mind is more like a garment of warmth, but I am referring to an overgrown shirt that covered down to the shins. With such a long garment moving fast or doing any kind of serious work would be difficult. To remedy this the garment would be tucked into a belt (Loins girded). This granted the legs greater freedom of movement. The expression then “let your loins (thighs) be girded” came to mean to be prepared for action. Be it physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.”

 

Next expression “your lights burning.” This relates more so to us in that electricity is rather new to man. Prior to electricity oil lamps were used. The trimming of the wick to make the lamp burn brighter was common practice. They also needed to be replenished with oil as it was consumed in producing the light. Another parable similar to this one Jesus told about the five wise virgins and the five foolish ones. Both were waiting for the groom to come. The five wise brought extra oil and the five foolish did not. The foolish asked from the wise for some oil but the wise said no, “but rather go to the merchants and buy for yourselves.” Within the time they were gone the groom returned and because they were not present they were not welcomed in. Again the emphasis of this parable was to live a readied and watchful life for Christ (the groom) to return.

 

Next verse “And ye yourselves (be) like unto men that wait for their lord… that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.” Eutheros is the Greek word for immediately and it’s definition along with its synonyms means instantly, immediately (as rendered), straight way, that very instant etc.” To have a heart so trained that the very voice of The Lord causes a response in us. That we hear his voice above all the other voices that rival for our attention. It is very interesting to watch mothers on a playground chatting with  other mothers.  With all the noise on the playground, yet if their child calls them or cries instantly mom responds. She is trained to her child’s voice and responds to their cry. Her love for her child causes her to be so attentive.

 

Our affections for the Lord should be so well trained!  “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” This is the end goal of the Holy Spirit – to have sons and daughters that have found their joy in serving their Lord and Father. Such a priceless reward awaits those who submit to the training.  The process of bringing forth purified faith. As gold made molten from the fire releases the dross, so the hardships of life release our desire to build our security here (sand castles) and transfer our security fully over to The Lord.

 

For our following Vidas I want to talk about these “other voices” that rival for our attention, how to deal with them and how the armor of the Holy Spirit is to be used (Ephesians 6).

 

Father God,

How much You value purified faith. For once we have it we can enjoy You, and join You in your work. Seeing You exalted is our greatest joy. Mixed faith still has too much of self and still too concerned with the affairs of this life. Free us and help us to understand that truly the only thing we can keep is You.  You are more than enough. Thank you and Amen

 

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

 

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“The Will of the Father” Part II

 Luke 12:29-34
“And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after:and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The scriptures are beautiful for the application of them is manifold. We have studied these same scriptures in light of trusting God for our needs and they do address that. Yet “The Will of the Father” for our lives can also be discerned from these versus. Once the decision to accept Christ has been made, then that which is before us is a life lived by completely different values. A making new of our value system and security base is what likes ahead. An analogy that scripture uses is the purifying of gold. Though none of us are goldsmith’s we understand that the purification process is through intense heat. Through that process the dross is separated from the gold, and being lighter makes its way to the top. Once there the goldsmith removes the dross with its impurities. What remains then, is pure gold. How does the goldsmith know that the heat has done its job; that the gold is now pure?  When the goldsmith can see the reflection of his face in the gold. The Lord is likened to our goldsmith, do we reflect Him?
For our faith to grow it must be tried. Exercise is another analogy. This exercise is more like boot camp. It darn near kills you and that’s the point of it. It must weaken self will and develop a new obedience to a higher calling. The upward high calling of Christ as Paul writes in Philippians 3:14 ” I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The word press here is ” dioko” which has two meanings depending on how it is used. One means to be continuously persecuted and it’s second usage is to press hard after something in order to obtain. We can make application of both meanings. We are to persecute diligently any thought, deed or word that “exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ in us” and press hard after ” for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
This is the mind set Christ speaks of when he says “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you. Fear not little flock for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Fear not, Phoebe means just that and it is where we get the word Phobia. The next interesting definition is “good pleasure.” In the phrase “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give” it stresses not only the “intent but the absolute willingness to do it” and or the “enjoyment  of taking pleasure in it.”However He is after something more real, something that is eternal. When I read these scriptures there is a deeper truth being shared. I read a life that is completely abandoned to God. In financial terms all emotional asserts, hopes, dreams, securities, and ambition are 100% invested with God. “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heaven that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The purpose of the trials is to show us the vanity of being attached to this world’s value system and living for it, as opposed to the Kingdom God. There is nothing here that I am looking for. My sense of security and value comes from becoming evermore God’s son. The trials and challenges make me depend more and more upon Him and His Word. I look to my Father to provide for me. Even in NOT PROVIDING He is providing me the opportunity to press into Him through prayer, fasting and scripture reading. Did not Paul go days without food and shelter?
To develop a faith that says like Job, “though he slay me yet will I trust Him” is to be fully surrendered. To have no care of self, which is our greatest stumbling block. For though, now is difficult, it will be beautiful. I use to think that something was wrong with me and that was why I struggled so. However as the years have burned away the dross I see a Christ likeness emerging;  bringing  joy, hope and confidence that nothing in this world can give. It’s more than worth it, so take heart hermanos and hermanas ( brothers and sisters), God is at work.
Father God,
Though what has been shared is true, it is not easy. In fact life can be extremely beyond belief with difficulty, setbacks and challenges. We struggle because our faith is young and not equal to the challenges we face. Help us to dive into your Word whereby our faith can grow. As our faith matures our trials become smaller. Help us to do what we can to expose our self to Your teaching, prayer and fellowship. The rest is in your hands. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

 

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“The Will of the Father” Part I

Matthew 12:46-50

(Mark 3:31- 35; Luke 8:19- 21)

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without (outside the crowd) desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

We just concluded an extended series on “True Treasures.” We sought to understand the hidden motives of our ways. Why I do what I do or say what I say reflects back to the man inside. If the man inside is needy he will perceive actions or things as to what benefit can be derived from them. If the man (or woman) has truly found Christ, and a growing faith abides then it’s not as much about me as it is about bringing Christ to others through my actions and words. The overcoming of “me” and finding Christ as my “True Treasure” is the purpose and work of the Spirit. As we grow in faith we learn that my needs are met in Christ. It takes time and trial for this to be learned as mentioned in the last Vida, but it starts with the invitation to come to Christ.

 

I have witnessed a fatal mistake when the invitation to come to Christ is made. It has become too easy to become a “Christian.” You can say the sinners prayer in your chair and presto you’re born again. We say “I won’t embarrass you and ask you to come up.” Since when is receiving the gift of eternal life, or the forgiveness of sins something to be embarrassed about? When has being filled with the Holy Spirit, so I can truly walk a transformed life something to be ashamed of? The whole mindset of being a Christian starts right here and what is the message we are giving? If someone cannot come forward in church how will they ever stand in a secular environment? Luke 12:8-9 Jesus speaking “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess — me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” (deny in this context does not mean “to coward down” it means rejecting Christ).

 

Could we be committing such a crime against the Holy Spirit and not even be aware of it? What if the measure of truly wanting Christ is when enough of me has been subdued that I don’t care what others think? I’m going forward! I’m done with me and I need help! By making “being Christian” so easy as a simple prayer in your seat we mitigate the struggle that is needful for new birth. I know I struggled in my seat for several months before I came forward and when I did I shot out of my seat. I was done with me and I didn’t care what others thought. After that precious prayer I knew that I had received eternal life. I was saved. That moment in my life became my confidence and hope for future times of doubt when I let God down or started doubting my salvation. I would think back on that moment in my life and it gave me strenght to come back to my Father.

 

The Japanese moth is such a beautiful moth with large wings of fluorescent colors. A man had become quite enchanted by these beautiful creatures, and had watched one in particular while it was developing in the cocoon. Finally the day came for this beauty to make its debut. However as it is true of this species the hole they make by chewing the top of the cocoon is ever so small that birth literally takes all day. The moth struggles incessantly till exhaustion to emerge. Believing he was helping his winged friend the man cut a larger opening in the cocoon. It took less than an hour and the creature was born. The man was ecstatic waiting for his little friend to flutter his beautiful wings and fly. Yet the wings just lied limp along the moth’s side.  The moth itself seemed perplexed as to what purpose they served- unable to lift them. In the man’s attempt to help his friend, he hurt his friend. The struggle of birth was the Creators design to press the creatures life fluids out of its engorged body and into the wings giving them life, and reducing the weight of its rather large body.

 

I believe this is the mistake made by making “becoming a Christian” too easy. Where’s the struggle? Where’s counting the cost and forsaking all to follow Christ? What is the greater sin against the faith? Allowing the struggle to work till faith subdues the carnal man, or allowing someone to walk away thinking that their saved, but there has been no change? When I received Christ I looked at my church body differently. I felt the connection for the first time. I truly had an expanded family that I could be like minded with. The struggle is a precious gift from God. As we choose to say no to the life we lived and say yes to a new life in faith the struggle binds us. A life lived not only by the Grace God gives, but in fellowship with with one another. Sadly I feel modern day Christianity has lost the sense of family, as we have taken away the struggle and made being Christian more ‘cliche.’ We are trying to make people more comfortable in church so that they have a good “church experience.” When what they need is to become very uncomfortable with their sin nature and look to the church for help. This is not a game. If we fail in this we have truly failed. Regardless whether we have a 15,000 member church or a 25 member church. The Truth Saves! It brings Hope. A watered down gospel does not. God help us.

Father God,

Was the Cross easy for You? Was the path to Golgotha after being beaten and carrying the Cross until you collapsed pleasurable? I think not, yet You did it for us. You were committed to saving us because Your love failed not. Father You are worth whatever sacrifice we need to make to end the rulership of our carnal man. Help us to see from Your side of Heaven our desperate need of You before we ever think of denying You. Thank you and Amen.

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True Treasure Part XI (II Samuel 25)

David and Abigail (part III – final)

“Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek — thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and — the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle — of a sling.

And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all — the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember — thine handmaid.

And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:

And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.” (Vs.28-30)

 

“But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him — these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote — Nabal, that he died.

 

And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded — the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept — his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned — the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.”(vs.37-40)

 

The whole chapter is the story of David and Abigail. In trying to piece specific verses together so  not to be too lengthy details that enrich the story are missed. I would encourage you to read it in its entirety. In recapping major points we see David, soon to become King of Judah and later King of Israel, being scorned by Nabal. We see Abigail understanding the magnitude of her foolish husband’s offense, and seeking to mitigate the offense prior to needless bloodshed. She seems to be aware that David is to be Israel’s next King. Also interesting are her final words “when The Lord has dealt well with thee then remember thy handmaid.” David was over the Israeli army for several years and Abigail must have heard the reports of David’s victories and how he trusted in God.

 

This story has a personal meaning as well. Back in 1989 I was terminated from my job of being the lead grower for the ornamental division of a wholesale nursery. I answered to the owner and our two philosophies of growing plants clashed. He was not interested in producing quality plants and I was. So in 89′ I found myself walking from his office to my truck unemployed not sure what I was going to do. The girls were 5 and 7 and Lisa was a stay home mom. However as I made that walk the Holy Spirit spoke these words to me very clearly “but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God” and the emphasis was that my soul was bound in God. In other words ‘He had me.’ Ever since then this verse has always reminded me of God’s faithfulness. All that we have been through in running a business has been a first hand experience of seeing God’s faithfulness to me and to my men (and women). I would hope that we all have a story to tell of God’s faithfulness.

 

And true to God’s character He was also faithful to David. Once David let go of his right to defend his name then God was free to be God. David consented to Abigail’s wisdom and even acknowledged that God had sent her. Even Nabal seemed to have recognized the magnitude of his offense. It would seem that he had a heart attack with complete failure ten days later. In our culture it is hard to appreciate the story, but speaking brash or proudly against a King or a general Nabal forfeited his life. Fortunately for David he was stopped from doing so. Gods King was a man that fought God’s battles not his own, and that’s the lesson David learned. It is the same with us. It is not our honor we seek, but God’s honor. That we would be small so that God can be big in our lives.

 

Over the last three devotionals we have discussed several points and the final one would be summed up with this verse “vengeance is mine sayeth The Lord” (Romans 12:19). This is a major point with God. As believers in Christ vengeance is not ours to take. To take vengeance is to be judge, and there is only one who can judge righteously. If the truth were told we are all guilty of punishment because we are all sinners. To God sin is sin, or as we put it “a miss is as good as a mile.” We are to forgive for we have been forgiven. The rest of the details are God’s, and it is easier said than done. So may God bring you your Abigail in that moment.

 

Father God,

Thank you for the lessons from David’s life and the security we have in You. Even when we are wrong You intervene. Help us always to have a humble heart before You. A heart that welcomes your correction and guidance. Also remind us to not be our own vindicator, but to allow areas of judgement to be Yours alone to deal with. Thank you and Amen

 

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

 

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“True Treasure” Part X Samuel 25:2-8 (continuing)

David and Abigail (recapping only a few key phrases, to read the whole story please review last week.

 

Upon hearing the servant’s report, “Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys…”  “And it was so, as she rode on the donkey that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met — them.  And when Abigail saw — David, she hasted, and lighted off the donkey and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even — Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not — the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send…” ” Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withheld thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal…”  “Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek — thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and — the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle — of a sling.” (1 Samuel 25:18,20,23& 25-26 &29, 33-34)

 

Part one of this story was a little rough. I hope you were able to understand the just of it. I was in L.A attending classes and my time was limited. The story is a wonderful story in that it is extremely “human” and practical. Here is David with all this military success behind him, and a reputation among all the other surrounding nations as the one not to mess with. Then there’s Nabal who though is extremely wealthy owes his living to David’s military success. Had David lost any of his battles Nabal’s wealth, goats and land would be in the hands of foreigners, and he’d probably be dead. Nabal does not even realize or acknowledge this, as he is not willing to share from his abundance. David knows that Nabal’s wealth was guarded by Israel’s success.  By the blood of men who gave their lives in battle. Therefore Nabal’s stinginess is more than angering, it is worthy of death – at least in David’s mind. So with that as a clearer understanding. Let’s continue.

 

Lets discuss another point. I will hear from time to time how the Bible is male based. Women will quote one verse in particular without understanding the context and thereby deriving their conclusions. You may know the verse I am referring to. However in this story there is one champion, one person that saved both man and beast without ever pulling out a sword. In fact her weapon was her wisdom and of course she brought food to sweeten the deal. What do we know about Abigail? We know she was Nabal’s wife and that she was obviously gifted in managing a large household. She was respected among the servants and trusted enough for them to share their opinions of her husband with her. What else can we learn about her? The scripture says,

“she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance:” The word for understanding “Sekel” means more than just book learning. It means wisdom and understanding that only comes from God. It could also mean a “light countenance” referring to her inward beauty being readily seen. Could it be that Nabal was so wealthy not because of anything he did, but that God blessed his work because of Abigail? Her understanding speaks to her relationship with God .

In other passages such as with Bathsheba “who was very beautiful to look upon” (2 Samuel 11:2). The word “beautiful” means comingly having adoring qualities but it references only the outward of a person. The same word is used for Abigail except “countenance” succeeds it. So incorporating these two definition we have an inward beauty that distinguishes the outward beauty. Not the other way around.

In I Peter 3:3 true beauty is defined “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” This definition would define Abigail. Sure she was attractive, but the real pull of her attraction came from her heart. Her beauty radiated outward. This is such an important point. In our society we place all our value on the outward and on chemistry. After the first couple of fights the chemistry goes out the window. What has happened to the importance of looks? Reality sets in and the need to live together in peace outweighs the chemistry.

 

There are those men who worship outward beauty and there are those women that want to be worshipped. They are each a trap for each other. How many times was Racquel Welch, a sex Icon in her time married? Four times. How many times was Pamela Anderson married? To date she’s on her fourth, another sex Icon. If the outward and sex is so “all that” why did their marriages fall? Why do ours? I believe we know the answer. Because there is no inner beauty, no peace or kindness (meekness) to adore the outward. The lust wears off as the arguing and the “me first” attitude tears away at whatever feelings may remain. Divorce can ensue based on “irreconcilable differences”  which is just an excuse. In other words “sex was fun, but me first.”

 

The biggest mistake made is when we try to compete on an outward level. There’s always someone more attractive who has more of this or that etc. But when the outward is combined with the inward, with the inward taking the dominate role, then there’s no competition because there’s nobody like you! When God has his way in us, then it’s a win,win, win. For God because he now has the soul he loves. For us because now we have the opportunity to grow in peace and become happy with the man/woman in the mirror. And for our spouse, now they have someone being loved by God who in turn takes that love and loves them with it. This has always been God’s design. That each spouse be loved by God who then inturn love each other, and Christ makes that way for us.

 

Father God,

There are two ways to live, only two – one with You and one without You. To have a good marriage on our own is very doable. Especially if both spouses had good parents. How much more could our relationships be, and our children secure when you are in the middle? The difference is huge. Help us to understand this and run to You and not from You. Thank you and Amen.

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur